Martin McEvoy

Managing Partner, McEvoy Associates Signium International

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Martin McEvoy

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Web site: www.mcevoyassociates.com, www.signium.com

Address: 130 Rathgar Road Rathgar Dublin 6 Ireland

Phone: 35314966500

E-mail: martin@mcevoyassociates.com

Advice: Develop as much diversity in your experience as you can over the first 10-12 years of your career. In the ideal world this should include operational and commercial roles in positive trending sectors, such as environmental or high value-added services. You should ensure that you were long enough in each role to credibly present measurable success as a hard predictor for future potential. Be balanced, listen to all suggestions within reason, seek ways to add real value, don't ever be afraid to ask a question (particularly the most relevant "elephant in the room" ones) and most importantly invest your time in delivering for the organisation as if it were your own business. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll be discovered internally and externally.

DOs: Remember plans don't make plans work—people do; Stand up for what you believe in; Be action oriented and make hard decisions sooner rather than later; Be courteous to all—it costs nothing and delivers real dividends in terms of people's performance; Communicate and celebrate; Encourage, practically support and reward those with initiative; Delegate and empower. Top people respond to responsibility; Be clear about what success means to you and always keep this/these goals in mind.

And DON'Ts: Waste time on politics or posturing; Offer support without meaning it; Let others do the/your dirty work—bite the bullets yourself, you might not be liked for it but you will be respected and leadership is not a popularity contest.

Qualities sought in emerging leaders: Real evidence of both planning and delivering organizational success through a sustained period of time/repeated trading cycles is a critical measure used by professional search consultants and their clients in assessing the leadership capabilities of prospective senior hires. The typical attributes needed to deliver the above success are strategic thinking abilities to identify actionable opportunities, preparedness to change, decisiveness and clarity of communication across all of an organization or department, allied to an unequivocal rigour on key relevant metrics. Most of all, leadership is about delivery i.e. many people can understand what needs to be done, but few succeed in unlocking and leading the desired behaviour in others to deliver.

Sector specialization: FMCG, financial services, telecommunications, professional services, marketing and communications

Job function specialization: CEO, COO, Executive Directors, Commercial & Marketing leadership

Geographical Focus: European

Companies I often recruit for: Not Provided

Favorite historical figure: Robert Sobukwe

Education: Trinity College Dublin, MA, 2008; Japan Ireland Economic Association Fellowship Award, 1981; Trinity College Dublin, BSc Management 1980; Dublin Institute of Technology, Advanced Diploma in Marketing Technologies 1980; Dublin Institute of Technology, Diploma in Marketing 1979

Languages: English, Irish

Employment history: McEvoy Associates Signium International, Managing Partner, 1995-present; Sales Placement Limited, General Manager, Island of Ireland, 1990-1995; Sales Placement Limited, General Manager Republic of Ireland 1989-1990; Sales Placement Limited, Trainee to Senior Consultant, Ireland 1981-1984

Other interests: Family, Songwriting and music, Golf, Downhill Skiing

Professional/Membership Affiliations: Past Chairman and Follow of the Marketing Institute of Ireland; Member of Chartered Institute of Personnel; Member of Irish American Chamber of Commerce; Member of Dublin Chamber of Commerce. Member of Ireland Japan Association; Board Member/European Speaker Signium International 2003-2006.

Experience in executive search consulting: 19

High Profile Placement: SIAC Construction, Chief Executive SIAC UK, Howell James.

Other paths I might have pursued: Sales and marketing director, executive coach or songwriter.

The global business trend that will most influence corporate performance in the future: Opportunities that are driven by social conscience, rigorous self-examination, technological change and legislation. These could include environmental, health care/life sciences, information/communications, alternative energy sources, etc., all of which will need to be underpinned by authentic and accountable leadership.